Murim Debut: The Emergency Meeting Verdict
As a result of the Murim First Outing emergency meeting, Namgoong Juhee had become that kind of figure.
An ambitious schemer eyeing the young lord position from the tender age of ten. How heartless do you have to be to keep up the crazy act for nine whole years? Namgoong Juhee was the very talent to revive the Namgoong Clan.
But the family head still viewed her with suspicion. That was why he'd called the martial hall leader aside after the meeting.
"Listen, Sihoon."
"Speak, family head."
"Sigh. Let me be frank. Juhee is my precious daughter. How could I burden her with the heavy mantle of family head?"
A father with exceptional love for his daughter. That was why he'd kept Namgoong Juhee's existence hidden tight from other sects. But suddenly naming her young lord? As a father, he couldn't accept it easily.
"Hmm. Family head, I agree with the elders' analysis. Keeping an ambition like that caged up isn't right."
"Heavens, Sihoon, Juhee isn't like that. She's such a pure-hearted child."
"Family head. Try thinking of the young lady not as your daughter. Do people in this world change so suddenly?"
"Well... true. She's been clever since she was little."
The human brain is simpler than one thinks, tending to believe what it wants to believe.
The elders already saw Namgoong Juhee as their savior, and the family head thought his daughter a genius. That was why they couldn't get close to the truth.
"Family head. I have a question."
"Hm? Ask away."
"Do you wish for the young lady's happiness?"
"Of course. If my daughter can be happy, that's enough for me."
"Then grant her the chance for a Murim First Outing."
"Murim First Outing?"
Murim First Outing. It meant young novices stepping into the murim world for the first time. Like firing up your first ranked game in a game.
"She's just turned nineteen, the perfect age."
"Mm."
"Family head."
"Mm... Fine. Sigh. I admit, if I'm accepting my daughter as a murim world denizen, it's a good idea."
Sihoon nodded.
"There's no benefit to the young lady staying cooped up in the clan right now. Too many eyes on her."
"Yeah, the pressure must be immense. Sigh. Alright, I accept."
"And didn't those water bandits in Wuhu cross the line recently? Word is the Hwangbo are dispatching a martial force too."
"What? Those bastards sending a force all the way from the south to here? Ridiculous."
"Don't they treat Namgoong like blood enemies? Probably aiming to make us a laughingstock."
"Grr..."
The family head let out a groan. With so many worries already, the Hwangbo Clan scratching at him made his head spin.
"Family head."
"What now."
"A bird in a cage will wither away."
"Sigh! Fine. I get it."
At the martial hall leader's words, the family head finally waved the white flag. He'd steeled himself to let Juhee leave his side. His gaze turned resolute.
"Sihoon. This isn't the family head speaking, but a father and big brother to one child."
"Speak."
"You all think Juhee's some superhuman, but that's a mistake. At least in my eyes."
"Family head, aren't you underestimating your daughter too much?"
"Grr... Anyway. Juhee will cause trouble. My gut says it's certain. When that happens, you protect her well. Got it?"
Namgoong Sihoon nodded lightly. Even the iron-willed family head was a parent. Natural for him to worry about his daughter. No big deal.
But it didn't end there. The family head grabbed Sihoon's hand tight! and continued, his voice firmer than before.
"No, no. You're always off on subjugation missions and busy, that's why you're saying that."
"...?"
"Never!Never leave that child alone. Understand?"
"Yes... I understand."
"Absolutely!Absolutely!"
By now, it felt ominous. Like he was worrying more about himself than his daughter.
"I'll carry out your orders. No need to worry, family head."
Even so, Sihoon nodded once more.
How much trouble could a nineteen-year-old girl cause? He figured that much.
The Namgoong Clan's ambitious schemer.
A prodigy hiding her claws.
The Namgoong Clan's Han Xin.
Titles for Namgoong Juhee that emerged during the emergency meeting. Not that she'd have cared even if she knew. Her immediate pleasures always came first. As always.
"Huu... This is it. This hits the spot."
Mariaju. Booze and grub were Namgoong Juhee's greatest joys. A fuzzy haze that chased away stray thoughts. The one time her reflex-only life let her think deeply.
She tilted the cup, pouring more. Slid a piece of golden-roasted meat with scallions into her mouth. The nutty malt cut through the grease.
Namgoong Juhee's mind cleared. Only then did she feel like reflecting on the day's events.
That whore-calling punk had charged in clueless. She'd thought to teach him a lesson—and damn, it looked fun too.
Even now, perfect PVP. Games were made to piss off your opponent, right? His face when he picked a fight first and got pushed back? Priceless. Bet with his arm gone, it's even funnier now.
The sparring too. First time against a Peak expert, but leagues beyond regular bimu. The thrill of slicing off that arm still tingled in her fingertips. Too real for a game.
A flicker of unease stirred in her heart. No matter how she pondered, she couldn't pin it down, so she chalked it up to her weak martial arts on a whim.
"...Gotta learn more. Stronger stuff."
Namgoong Juhee's arts topped out at Luk Hap Gong, Luk Hap Sword, and Amhyang Pyo steps. All half-baked picks from Huashan's branch family.
Even those had hit twelfth maturity with her recent Peak breakthrough—no more to learn. Basics at first maturity, great completion at twelfth. No point digging deeper into Luk Hap. That's why she'd resolved to learn new ones.
"Hm..."
Juhee closed her eyes, twirling her beard idly.
Setting aside profound subtleties, the righteous sects she'd known—sword users especially—divided arts into six broad categories.
By type: internal arts, swordsmanship, footwork.
By lineage: Daoist, Buddhist, other.
Best to stick to one lineage for synergy.
Namgoong Juhee had learned Huashan's Daoist internals. Once set, you couldn't switch lineages. Internal arts built your qi foundation—mismatching risked qi deviation. She'd stick to Daoist internals from here on.
Sword arts and footwork? Lineage didn't matter much. Just body movement, efficiency gap aside.
So she recalled the strongest ones she knew offhand.
Internals: Zihe Divine Art. Sword: Emperor Sword Form. Footwork: Heavenly Demon Overlord Step.
All legendary arts. Unattainable by normal means. But one was within reach right now.
Emperor Sword Form. The Namgoong Clan's signature. Proof of the next family head, passed only to them.
And she'd just flattened the young lord spot and lopped off his arm. No intent to become head, but qualified to learn? Sure.
"Young lady."
A voice cut through Namgoong Juhee's reverie. Deep and resonant. A gravity she'd never heard in the Namgoong Clan.
"..."
Juhee turned to spot the owner. A man just past thirty. Body covered in scars, skin bronzed by sun. Pinky nail yanked out from abuse, yet to regrow.
Instinct told Namgoong Juhee this was the martial hall leader.
"Why has the martial hall leader come to see me?"
"...You know me?"
The martial hall leader's narrowed eyes widened. He spent most of the year outside. Clan time was a quick audience with the head before leaving. Never crossed paths with Namgoong Juhee. Yet she nailed his identity cold—shocking.
"Afghanistan? No... Iraq?"
"Pardon? Afgani... what?"
"Ah... Never heard of Sherlock Holmes, huh. Nah, my bad... misread the vibe."
Namgoong Juhee's head lolled side to side. A lazy sway.
"..."
Sihoon knew her reputation well. Wild mare who spewed nonsense. More man than woman, they'd said.
But her languid eyes and sly upturned lips were the opposite of a mare.
Booze wafting subtly, her every exhale warm and intimate. Nonsense words, yet her voice was beautiful. Alluring, almost seductive. And her clothes—loosely undone, glimpses of skin, curves flowing gracefully. Not a mare... something provocative instead...
Slap!
Sihoon smacked his own cheek. Daring to eye the family head's daughter that way? Unthinkable, no matter how stunning.
"Young lady."
"Murim First Outing, right? Yeah?"
"...Yes? Yes, correct. How did you..."
"Does it matter? But... my arts are so weak, if I head out like this, I'll just croak. Kek. What do you think?"
"No, young lady. I watched your bimu from afar. With that prowess, calling it weak?"
"...Doesn't feel that way."
Namgoong Juhee sipped as she spoke. Sihoon's eyes caught a droplet trickling down her chin.
"Emperor Sword Form. Time for me to learn some new arts."
"As you know, young lady, Emperor Sword Form is passed only to the next family head."
"If I need it to learn, whatever. Things change midway if needed."
A far cry from the servants' views. No hiding her young lord ambitions. Exactly as analyzed in the meeting. All that fool act was pretense, then. Namgoong Sihoon marveled inwardly.
"...Understood, young lady. Murim First Outing is in seven days. You'll need prep, and I'll assist."
"Prep? Ah... hold up. Nah, skip prep. You can head out now."
Namgoong Juhee said that while stashing a booze bottle in her bosom.
No way prep means that booze... Sihoon slightly regretted his earlier marvel.